Sophie Matterson, 34, from South Australia, shares her story:
Slowly, I led my convoy of camels away from the beach.
We’re ready for this, I told myself, excited for the adventure ahead.
It was April 2020, and I was in Shark Bay, WA, about to embark on a trek to Byron Bay, NSW.
I’d collected these five camels in 2019 during a muster I was involved with, while working in Uluru, NT.
At the time, I was 30 and many of my mates at home in Brisbane were getting married and having kids.
I’m not ready for that yet, I realised. I want an adventure.
“I’m going to trek the width of Australia with my camels,” I told my family.
“Good for you,” was the usual response.
Ready for an adventure (Image by Mike Curtain Photography)
They’d seen me dream up many audacious plans that I hadn’t followed through with, but I was determined to accomplish this one.
When I started training my camels to carry my equipment, they realised I meant business.
“This is actually happening, isn’t it?” my dad, Ed, said to me.
He and Mum are experienced travellers, so they were excited.
“I’ll see you off at the starting line,” Dad declared.
Sadly, just as I made it into WA, the border closed due to COVID, so he couldn’t come.
I was all alone as I began my momentous journey in Shark Bay.
Sophie Matterson keeps an eye out for wild bull camels while her herd grazes in the Great Victoria Desert.(Image: supplied)
With no support crew, I’d have to be content with the camels’ company for the nine months the 4750km trek was expected to take.
Our route was determined by water sources so the camels could hydrate.
They carried my water canteens, clothes, dried food, emergency supplies and my swag on their backs.
At least they didn’t have to lug me around as well!
If they have to walk the whole way, it’s only fair I do, too, I figured.
We traversed the first month’s worth of semi-vegetated landscape without any major hiccups.
Days were spent establishing our pace and location via GPS and evenings saw me camping in my trusty swag.
Then, six weeks in, we were moving through a vast cattle station when a nearby cow took a few steps.
What was a harmless movement to both me and the cow, was apparently a threat to my lead camel, Jude, who instantly bolted, yanking the lead rope I was holding, and flinging me face-first into the dirt.
All five camels were connected, so when Jude ran, the rest followed and in seconds they’d careened off into the distance.
Sophie relaxes and writes in her journal while the camels graze close to camp (Image: supplied)
Picking myself up from the dust, a sickening realisation dawned on me.
All my emergency equipment was on the camels, including my satellite phone!
With hundreds of kilometres between me and the nearest town, getting those camels back was a case of life-or-death, so I started running.
“Steady Jude!” I yelled in a panicked voice.
But frightened camels run a lot faster than me and soon, I’d lost sight of them.
I had little energy left, but continued to run, calling their names, listening for the clattering of their loads.
Then, as I crested a ridge, I discovered them huddled together.
Luckily, the rope had become entangled on a thicket, bringing them all to a halt.
An overwhelming sense of relief washed over me.
I made sure my phone was attached to me from that point on!
Journeying through some amazing scenery. (Image: supplied)
Although the outback was barren, I still encountered some incredible people along the way.
One was the caretaker at a station I crossed.
He was an ex-army sniper who taught me how to shoot in case any wild male camels had their sights on my females.
I also lodged at the property of a hippie recluse, who treated me to his homebrewed whisky.
My favourite character was a handsome baker I met in rural South Australia called Jimmy.
I’d stopped into his bakery in Copley one morning for a coffee.
“You’re not from around here are you?” he asked.
“I’m trekking the country with my camels,” I told him.
Something about my quest must have piqued his interest, because he soon offered to visit me along the way with food for the camels and me.
Sophie with Jimmy (Image @sophiematterson)
These journeys took him hours in his 4WD.
“It’s no biggie,” he always assured me.
He ended up driving 16,000km back and forth to see me and I soon suspected this baker was interested in more than my camels.
I’d intended to journey alone, so it caught me off guard when I started falling in love with Jimmy.
“Would you stay with me for the final leg?” I asked him as we entered NSW. “I’ll need help on the busy roads and you and I feel like a team now.”
Jimmy happily obliged.
My trip took 13 months to complete, and when I finally made it to the east coast, I had friends waiting for me on the beach.
Restrictions were still in place but Dad managed to make it, too.
“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” he said as we hugged on the beach.
Watching my camels approach the water’s edge I reflected on how far I’d come.
Sophie’s new book about her journey.
I actually did it!
It felt incredibly empowering.
Shortly after, I moved to SA to be with Jimmy.
I’ve got plenty of space for my camels and time to plan our next journey.
In 2022, Allen & Unwin asked me to tell my story, so my book, The Crossing, was published this year.
My hope is that readers are not only entertained by my exploits, but also inspired to take the first step on their own adventures.
